Miles Mathias/Journal
This journal contains the private notes of 'Miles Mathias. Within this journal, Miles will touch upon a variety of topics, including his magic studies, relationships, and other activities. Miles is the sole possessor of this journal, thus other characters should not know the contents of said journal unless shown.'' Bought by Miles on his way to The Wizard's Tower. The journal has a thick leather cover with a reinforced binding- it's meant for rough travel. A metal latch clasps the front and back covers shut with a key lock. The journal contains three-hundred pages; chapters are devoted to a variety of topics. Finally, Miles enchanted the journal to combust should the lock ever become compromised. The following have access to this journal: * Miles Mathias The Text Chapter One: Properties of Magic Preface & Acknowledgement Mathias 1 '''The Possibilities of Healing Miles R. Mathias, Student Twiblick, Septober 1, Year 0?, Sixth Age Preface: First, I must apologize to the reader for the informal nature of this hypothesis. This is more of a journal than a paper. My musings consider a culmination of several branches of thought, and my naivety and novice-level knowledge concerning the magical process may compromise this work. Without further ado, I shall present my hypothesis: The property of most healing magic relies on tapping into one's own Anima, if done incorrectly this can cause severe damage to oneself and possibly remove years from one's lifespan. Lunar Magicians have mastered this property to heal another by opening their Anima and extending it to the subject. It leads me to wonder: can this process work the other way? Is it possible to willingly drain another beings Anima to not only heal but extend a lifespan? It seems entirely plausible. In fact, I believe this has been practiced in the past. Needless to say, this idea holds promise in both the medical and combative fields. However, I can't help but notice that the possibility of this creeping towards the realm of darker magics, such as Necromancy, worries me. I will not allow this to become an issue. To that end, I will conduct my experiments solely upon lesser lifeforms, such as rodents and insects. Furthermore, I have my doubts as to whether this experiment should be recorded at all. Not even the gods could know what may happen if this falls into the wrong hands. Acknowledgement: I would like to thank Memphis Byrma, Grey Order Apprentice, for the healing lesson that inspired this idea. Without the advice he gave to my peers, the entire concept of this work would have been lost on me. Entry One Mathias 2 Entry One: Research Miles R. Mathias, Student Duneday, 5 Septober, Year 0?, Sixth Age Fie upon it! My foolish tongue stretches beyond my teeth, yet I do not clamp down upon it. My pride routs my silence! I could destroy my chances of taking this theory beyond research; I am a damned fool! I am too trusting, too free- I do not know these people, and yet I risk everything? Earlier, I divulged some information to my peers, and judging by their reactions, they are not to be trusted. I shall no longer recklessly discuss this subject. They were shocked. It seems some indeed see this as borderline Necromancy. Perhaps it is. For what I seek to accomplish is no less than utilizing another being's Anima- their very life force. I do not take this lightly. I shouldn't dwell on this. Nothing has happened. Instead, I have gained useful resources. Adeline Vernet suggested that I seek assistance from Elise Olivriar and Amara Elysian. From what I could find out, the two are both Blue Order staff. Currently, I am not sure if I can trust them. I do not wish to be thrown out of the tower. However, now it doesn't matter, I have found more interesting details. Scouring the tower's library led me to respectable resources on both the history and utilization of Anima. A few records indicates that the Gnomes and Elves live in a harmonious nature with the Anima Mundi- The Soul of the World- allowing them to shape their environments in a non-invasive manor. Direct use of the Anima Mundi for this magic is beyond the current scope, but it could perhaps provide an alternative to the dark method I currently have proposed. My interest in the Anima Mundi isn't connected to the Gnome's affinity to nature. Instead I have focused on a small footnote, a recent finding by the looks of it. Mathias 3 South of Isafdar, a dramatic change has occurred in the environment. It does not mention who or what, but these kinds of changes suggest a malicious experiment with the Anima Mundi. I suspect a rogue sect of Elves or Gnomes, for they possess the knowledge to conduct such a monumental task. Unfortunately, the vague nature of this report leaves too much up to the imagination. However, the report describes a toxic substance being dumped into the swamp. I must remind the reader that the purpose and scale of my experiment differs to that of these shadowed villains. Does this hold any significance for my own trials? Or am I simply being over cautious? I suspect so. I have been overcautious in the past. I must not drag my feet, but I can not risk acting without a single thought in my head. Advances in magic can only be produced by clear, rational thought in a systematic process. Before my peers interrupted me, I had already moved onto a different subject- the Gods. I'd be surprised to find anyone who hasn't heard of the deaths of Guthix and Bandos. Recent events give me tremendous hope for my research (although not much for the state of Gielinor). Unfortunately, Guthixians and Godless have hidden some of the details considering the former's death, but, in light of the latter, I can more or less surmise what happened. The death of a god is a miraculous transfer of energy from one being to another leaving the one drained of life an empty, stone-like husk. It makes me wonder: is this power restricted only to the Gods? Now, both Guthix and Bandos act as a grim reminders of the power of their vanquishers. Armadyl and his mock justice! Hypocrite! Guthix's excess energy inspired the new field of divination. Is it possible to draw Anima from a person just as one does from a wisp colony? Entry Two Mathias 4 Entry Two: A Breakthrough Miles R. Mathias, Student Gullday, 6 Septober, Year 0?, Sixth Age Now I realize some of the word's written in my previous entry were quite rash, for I am in a better mood to realize such. By allowing myself more freedom with my words, I indeed risk jeopardizing some discoveries, but if I adhere to too great a discretion, I will miss out on too many opportunities. The earlier part of my afternoon was quite lovely, I returned to the tower from Draynor market to hear Lilly's humming. It was quite beautiful, so I gave her one of my fresh apples. If only I could have heard more of it, but this new oaf entered the tower. Despite wasting the majority of my afternoon touring around this Arno Phillip, a novice halfwit, it turned out my day was not entirely wasted. One of Adeline's resources proved quite invaluable. Blue Order's Elise Olivriar is a remarkable woman; however, her exact position within the tower continues to elude me. She chaperoned my tour, happy as long I forced myself to stand that fool. Mysteriously, Arno disappeared and the two of us were left quite alone. She inquired into my focus. I replied with: "I do not have much of a focus, per se, for I study whatever interests me. Right now, it's healing." Perhaps, this is what Adeline meant, for Elise was quite knowledgeable on the subject. After my not-so modest response towards my ability, she offered a private lesson on the spot. To say I was stunned would be an understatement; I accepted, of course. Elise's teaching methodology required the devotion of all my intellect. The entirety of the lesson stayed true to the magical method, requiring a comprehensive knowledge of basic principles. Much like the universality of the metric system, a common understanding is the basis for anything advanced. Mathias 5 By basics, I mean basics. Elise's first question was simplicity incarnate: "What is the source of all magic?" My reply couldn't be more textbook. I replied: "The source is our very life force. What we call the soul is made from but a fraction of Gielinor's own life force- the Anima Mundi. We use runestones as a catalyst to use this energy inside of us." Although, I wasn't learning anything, everything became much clearer. The process of healing is much like two different circles. My own, faultless and perfect, is the basis for the spell; the other damaged with ridges and deformations. I use my own Anima- my own soul- to help smooth out these faults. Of course, this is only a metaphor. Noting the direction that the lesson turned, I came quickly to the realization that Elise knew about my project. Without hesitation, she cut her palm, making me heal her using these same principles. The very basis of magic is extending your soul beyond yourself. A fact that I failed to focus on. I had also failed to focus on the soul and it's connection to Anima. She helped me understand that the soul isn't the same as Anima- it is more than just energy. It is much more potent. As she later noted, "a soul is a better source of energy than an entire field of grass." What is the difference between Anima and the soul? The soul has purpose. Her metaphor put it aptly: "a key is nothing but metal. But you can't force a bar of brass into a lock and expect it to work. It needs shaping, it needs a purpose, before it can interact with the door." Her metaphor guided me to one horrifying realization, using another sentient being wouldn't only sap their life away, but it would change their very person. Ripping away their energy means ripping apart their soul. I have come this far only to be swayed by a question of morality. What right do I have to another's soul? Mathias 6 None. However, I could stomach taking some more than others. Elise pointed out that "it's very efficient on the battlefield, with hundreds of men dying around you." Has she done this before? However, some souls are smaller than others. "The world around you is teeming with life, smaller than you can see, and plants are overflowing with energy," she explained. Again, Elise cut her palm. The task was not as simple as before. "Heal me again" she said. "Try to use as little of your own Anima as you can." Compared to earlier, the spell felt unfamiliar. I am more familiar with the Anima within than that scattered throughout the environment. Such being the case, building and casting the spell took much longer. However, the spell had lost something, which I can only describe as a peculiar weight. More importantly, it appeared much more potent. To reiterate: (1) the source of magic is the soul; (2) the soul is a set amount of Anima that through experience has become alive. Inside us all is a combination of living and dormant Anima. Replenishing the dormant Anima is simple, just eat or rest; the living Anima- the soul- has always been the subject of our mortal focus. So, how does magic work? Wizards tap into this replenishable supply of Anima to cast magic. Some go to far, they begin to whittle away at their own soul, shortening their own lifespan. I have learned to forgo this risk. Entry Three Mathias 7 Entry Three: A Moral Dilemma Miles R. Mathias, Student Erysail, 7 Septober, Year 0?, Sixth Age When I started this journal, I had no intentions of making it into a daily ritual. However, currently the only source of relief I have is writing; the weight of my thoughts is almost unbearable. Today, I failed to grasp any information, which could be of any immediate use. Instead, I have gained only questions. Such being the case, this entry documents more thoughts than theories, and as long as my sanity remains, I shall never begin an entry with: "dear diary." I can only describe this as catharsis. I am so tired of this slow progress! In a day, I have not learned much, I have not even scratched the surface. My practice did not yield much valuable information, but I will not bother Elise with this subject until I make some notable progress. I must learn something- anything. Beyond the draw on one's reserves, there is a clear difference between casting normally and this technique. Power. However, as I have learned, it takes quite a lot of time- and concentration- to convert something as simple as fruit. Additionally, the tell tale trail of dust worries me. Others may not approve of this technique. I need to find a way to mask it. Conducting such experiments outdoors was a mistake. There is a unique lack of privacy, I quickly noted that no longer was I alone. My focus collapsed after hearing Lilly singing, not perfectly, but beautifully regardless. Unfortunately, that peace wasn't even short-lived. I hadn't noticed Arno's presence either- his mind was pliable, easy to read. He was studying- if you could call it that- something so simple and natural as breath to my lungs. Guthixian propaganda fascinated Arno. The source called Guthix the sole creator of magic. He only gave us the runes- we already had the mind to use them. Mathias 8 Predictably, that tactless man made his move. The singing also gained his attention. He startled poor Lilly (nearly off the cliff). Fie upon him! Arno wasn't given much opportunity to save face, for she shyly scampered away back into the tower. For some reason, the question of Arno's trivial ability momentarily intrigued me. He beamed with pride, stating that he could use some of the standard spellbook. How is that an achievement? Regardless, I tried to maintain my mask of being personable. It was sickening. I conjured a block of earth so fractured that even a simple touch would shatter it. My goal was to test his knowledge, not his ability. He failed. His lack of knowledge regarding the basics shocked me. Arno used fire magic against earth. Does he not even know which elements counter each other? Perhaps my reaction seems immature, but I couldn't stand it. I left. Upon my return, the tower's exterior appeared vacated, so I went inside to the grand library. I found Elise comforting a young woman. I couldn't tell if something was wrong, I delved right into a book. It took me a few moments to recognize her. In Memphis' lesson, she healed something by setting it on fire. Her name is Dawn. Elise didn't stick around for too long, so I ended up getting to know Dawn. Did I mention that she gave me cake? Apparently, Dawn's searching for alternatives to magical energy. I couldn't help but wonder if Elise had set this up; needless to say, I was instantly intrigued. She said she's been using energy from Infernus, which she alleges too dangerous for safe human use in the long term. I'm not sure if I believe her entirely. Her most promising alternative forecasts the sapping of energy from the Spiritual Plane, the realm of summoning creatures. From what I gathered, Dawn suffered some backlash while in contact with an obelisk. I wonder if I may have better luck? Mathias 9 Honestly, I don't know. Extending the technique to other planes certainly warrants thought, but, unfortunately, while conversing with Dawn I lost my head. The conversation degraded into more of a personal nature. We debated the extent one could morally search for knowledge. Dawn was certainly forthright about her troubled past. Long-story short, a demon possessed her (the variety of which she did not mention) and caused a great deal of mayhem, killing several bystanders. But that wasn't what interested me. Dawn described this unique ability: she holds the power to absorb magic, learning all of its properties, and reproduce it at command. I wasn't silent with my fascination of such an ability. I did not ask if she gained this power by being possessed. However, gaining such ability by subjugating myself to Infernal energy is both interesting and horrifying. Almost mortified, she tried to dissuade my interest in her power, saying: "absorbing the magic isn't the dangerous part. It's the magic I absorb." I wasn't dissuaded. She then demonstrated Ancient Magic; I know little about this hushed-up spellbook, unfortunately. Such being the case, I called it a shame. Again, she disagreed most vehemently. "No it's not. I've killed people with it. I know why some of it's illegal. It's my strongest weapon, and also my most dangerous." My retort was simple, perhaps childish. "A weapon is nice to have. It shouldn't be a pleasure to use. I find it a shame because society is denying me knowledge, which I so earnestly crave." Her response shocked me. Dawn left me with a conundrum: "I've seen people die. Taken lives in the blink of an eye, all because I craved knowledge, craved power. Ask yourself if there's such a point as too far." Her words echo inside my skull. I have no answer. Nor should I ever hope to find one. Perhaps, I shall find one after it is long too late. Category:Books